The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-01
A BIG FLORIDA SYNDICATE.
Ten Million Dollars to be Invested i
Silk and Other Industries.


Mayor St. Clair Abrams has just returned
to TavareS from New York. The TavareS
Herald has interviewed him with the fol
lowing result:
"To prevent any exaggerated or erroneous
statements being made public, will state
that part of the work | was engaged i'll dur
ing my three months stay in New York
was the organization of syndicate of En-
glish, French and German capitalists togeth-
err with the New York capitalist, For the
purpose of carrying out the plans
formed by me ten years ago for the
further which | secured from the Legislature
of the State in 1881 the charter of the Pen
insular Land, Transportation and Manutac-
turing Company. To this end the New
York capitalist referred to made two trips
to Europe while | was in New York, visit
ing London, Paris, Berlin and Frankfort,
and we have so far succeeded in the work
that, at last accounts, nearly Sl,OOO,OOO OF
the $2,500,000 of the capital neces-
sary to begin with has been subscribed
We propose to complete the TavareS,
Apopka and Gulf railroad and branches; to
build railroad from Tavares westward
across Lake Harris, according to the plan
of the Tavares, Brooksville and Gulf rail
road charter, and another road from TaV-
ares southwestward, probably to Tampa,
adding, altogether some 800 miles to the
railroad transportation of Florida. Under
the Peninsular Land, Transportation and
Manufacturing Company's charter, we are
authorized to increase our capital stock to
Sl0,000,000. While the railroads are con-
structing we propose a comprehensive sys-
tenn of settling the country on each side OF
our proposed roads by bringing colonies
from Great Britain, Germany, France and
Italy and providing them with occupation
to which they are accustomed.
II will state that one of our plans of
development is the establishment of silk
culture in Florida by bringing here hun
dreds of families of French, who have been
accustomed from childhood to raising the
silk worm and who are experts in silk cul-
ture. We propose to set out mulberry trees
build cottages and have everything ready
for those people before they leave France,
so that when they get here, they can go
right to work raising silk With our eli
mate, we can raise what | term two crops
of silk annually, as, in some parts of China,
we can have two distinct hatchings annu-
ally The foliage of the mulberry tree in
South Florida remains succulent for over
nine months in the year, thus atfordlng
food for silkworms from February until
November. There are thousands of fami-
lies in France who would cheerfully migrate
to engage in this work, if they had the
chance which the company | am organizing
proposes to give them So, in like manner,
we shall arrange for the colonies from other
countries in the industries to which they are
accustomed. We also propose the estab-
fishing of manufacturing enterprises of
every possible character likely to become
profitable and permanent.
The scheme is large, but Is perfectly
feasible, and | expect to carry it through
in its entirety within six years: and | ex-
pect, further, to have all the projected rail
roads completed within three years, and to
begin work on them within six months
shall probably have to go to London in
December In fact, the members of the
syndicate there have been urgent for NE to
meet them in London next month; but !
could not as had to return to Florida to
make the canvass on the county seat ques-
tion and to attend to my law practice"
"NVill the scheme interfere with or sus-
pend the work on the Tavares, Apopka and
Gulf railroad"
Not for one day! not for one secondr "
answered Mai st. Clair Abrams, emphati-
cally. The work of laying the rails is pro
crossing now. We shall be running cars to
Oakland and Clermont before Nov. 1, and
we intend to be in Kissimmee before Dec.
10. There will be no delay whatever. In
fact | have purchased and paid for $4,000
worth of rails and fasteningS, and the
money to pay for them was furnished by
New York capitalists organizing the syndi-
cate with me, and | am expecting a letter
daily, informing me that $780, 900 more has
been placed to my credit You can put it
down as fact that the Tavares, Apopka
and Gulf road, or rather the division of it
we are now working on, will be completed
and in operation this year"
That is quite reassuring, Major, but
what about the road eastward toward
Seneca and the st. Johns river"
co." answered the Major, Il have ar
ranged for that, although the foreign syn
dictate will have nothing to 10 with it. 1t
will be constructed by my construction
company, and will run from Tavares by
the south side of Lake Joanna, all other
reports and statements to the contrary not
withstanding. Next week shall see the
people of Seneca and the Northeast and
conclude the arrangements with them, and
shall begin the work within twenty days
AFTER
''Will it be built by the Blue Spring,
Orange City and Atlantic Railroad Com
pany"
NO" answered Mai Abrams ''The
company that have negotiated with me for
the construction will purchase that road,
and it is likely that the name will be changed
to the TavareS, Orange City and Atlantic
railroad You can state, further, that the
whole matter of this line from the st. Johns
to Tavares is left entirely TO me, as | shall
demonstrate to the satisfaction of every
body within thirty days"
"Will your plans for the road conflict in
any way with those of Maj. HOLSTER, the
Superintendent of the Blue Spring. Orange
City and Atlantic railroadT
Good heavens, man, MOI" the Major re-
piled, laughing. "Why, | expect and Will
get the very heartiest cooperation from
Maj HOLSTER who has twice been to
Tavares to see about the matter"
1T is reported that the road wonld 60 by
the north side of Lake Joanna, and that
Mai HOLSTER favored this routeIn
"This is a mistake. Mai HOLSTER. OF
course, has looked over the several routes
coming into Tavares, but as the route side
of Lake Joanna gives three miles less of
railroad and an easier line TO build, it was
decided at meeting in New York with me
last week that the line should be run from
Seneca east and south TO Lake Joanna, and
/ intend to begin the cutting of the right of
way on that lire as soon as ! have seen the
Seneca people. 1t may be put down as a
certainty that this road will be built during
the coming winter"
How about the Tavares and Palatka
road, Major"
II hope within the next thirty days to
definitely announce the beginning of this
work. Its construction within the next
twelve months is as certain as the fact that
Tavares has five roads centering here
already The ahSpuce of ono marty from